What happened to the Covedale banners?

Did the City remove banners paid for and installed by the Covedale Garden District at taxpayer expense?

In a letter to Cincinnati City Councilmember Jeff Berding, Covedale resident Renee Tyree wants answers about what she calls a "troubling occurrence".

She says that the banners, which were displayed along Covedale Avenue between Cleves-Warsaw and Sidney roads, were purchased and installed by neighborhood businesses and citizens, and that the City had given them permission to install them in 2005.

"The banners have been a source of neighborhood pride for the entire time they were visible, and encouraged the local businesses who paid for the banners to remain part of the tax base of the city of Cincinnati," Tyree says. "I also considered it a small gesture against the ongoing povertization of our neighborhood due to recent developments such as the national mortgage foreclosure crisis."

Tyree also says that the banners were a visible reminder of local involvement and investment in the neighborhood.

A report from the City Manager's office is due before council on August 6.